MADRID is bracing for a major flu outbreak as officials confirmed the disease will reach epidemic levels by the end of January, drafting 1,250 extra healthcare professionals to help understaffed centres cope with demand.

At the end of December, the contagion levels of the illness were "sporadic" and "stable" in the Spanish capital.But the city’s Regional Executive said on Thursday that levels were expected to reach epidemic levels within the next two weeks.According to the latest data collected by Spain's Public Health system, the country has already seen 47.58 cases of the disease per 100,000 inhabitants.

But healthcare unions in the country have said the contingency plan to cope with the rising numbers of sick people is “catastrophic” - branding the plans as “insufficient”.

A statement released by Hospital Henares claims the instituion had 62 patients crammed into a room designed for just 20 last week.

Spanish nursing union Sindicato de Enfermeria (Satse) warned that the Hospital Henares - as well as the Ramón y Cajal, Torrejón, Getafe, La Paz and Leganés health centres – were "in a worse condition" to cope with the expected rise in patient numbers.